Professor, Department of Choir Conducting

Romāns Vanags is a graduate of Emīls Dārziņš specialized music college and of the Department of Choir and Orchestra Conducting at Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music in Riga. He has diploma in choir conducting as well as in music pedagogy. In addition, he was studying also symphonic orchestra conducting. In 2003, he received professional master’s degree in music.

Since 1990 he has been the principal conductor of the Latvian University female choir “Minjona”. Since 1987 he has been chief conductor and artistic director of Jāzeps Mediņš Riga 1st. Music School boys’ choir. Since 1987 Romāns Vanags has been employed at the Latvian Academy of Music in Riga as professor of choir conducting, from 2005 to 2012 serving as the Head of Conducting Department.

He has been the organizer of various courses for conductors in numerous countries around the world and also a jury member of many international choral competitions. He has also been appointed as one of the chief conductors of the All Latvian Song Celebration (1993, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2008, 2013, 2018, 2023). Since 2008 he is also a council member of World Choir Games (WCG) organization. Romāns Vanags was the Artistic Director of WCG 2014 in Riga. Since August 2014 Romāns Vanags is the senior Artistic Director of Interkultur (Germany) organization. Professor Vanags has been Artistic Director of WCG 2021 in Antwerp and Gent (Belgium), WCG 2023 in Gangneung (South Korea), WCG 2024 in Auckland (New Zealand). He is also the nominated Artistic Director for WCG 2026 in Helsingborg (Sweden).
    
In 2008 professor Romāns Vanags received the highest civil decoration in Latvia – the Three Star Order.